Edenbrooke

Title: Edenbrooke

Series: Edenbrooke #1

Author: Julianne Donaldson

Source: Library

My Review:

I have a confession to make. This book has been on my "want to read" list for years. After checking it out of the library multiple times, including on Hoopla, and never reading it, I decided I didn't want to read it. Then, I decided to give it one more try. You all, I almost missed a fabulous book because of some weird mood I had previously been in!!

Marianne Daventry is not a proper lady. She likes to twirl, she speaks her mind, and she prefers to be outside rather than inside. Embroidery and the like simply bore her. When her sister invites her to Edenbrooke, Marianne is thrilled, thinking it will be a cure for her boredom.

Little does she know how right she is! The carriage ride is bumpy, and she struggles with motion sickness, but that is nothing compared to the highwayman who decides to rob her carriage. After this harrowing event, Marianne finds her way to an Inn, where a handsome stranger assists her.

There is so much to love about this story! From the descriptions the author paints of Marianne's suitor before leaving Bath (gross!!), to the beauty of Edenbrooke (we all need a place like it), to Marianne's budding friendship with Philip. The humor was top notch, the characters fleshed out, and the story golden.

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads):  

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she'll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.